It has been a little over a month since my last blog and on one hand it feels like it was just a week or two and then at times it feels like March has lasted over a year now LOL
I can't believe we are in August already and I'm afraid to blink because the holidays will be here before we know it... uh....yeah.... let's not get ahead of ourselves.
This year has been interesting to say the least but for a while now I have decided to re-shift my energy away from negative social media stuff and focus my energy on positive people, personal goals and how I can go to bed every night with a smile on my face instead of dread and stress.
After I had regain a few years ago, it had been a struggle to get it off again. My lowest was 173 and that was consistent for a very long time until I ended up at 220 a few years ago. Last year for my birthday I got down to 188 for a single day and I was so excited but then, for the last year, I had maintained between 190-193 on any given day. It has been so frustrating for me because even before Covid, I was going to the gym, eating better and didn't understand why the weight was staying the same. I did notice, however, that clothes were fitting better and I had hoped that maybe I was toning and some of the weight was changing from fat to muscle but I don't know how that stuff works.
When everything shut down, I noticed being at home was making me hungrier out of boredom and I was snacking and becoming more lazy. We already discussed how I got a part time job to get out of the house, so we don't have to go over that again, LOL.
However, when the temporary arrangement was up, I wanted to still find things to do to keep me occupied and on the right track again. I decided to make a goal with a deadline as something to focus my energy on. I knew that my birthday was approaching in August and I was still at 190 on a good day. I made it my birthday mission to at least break the lowest I had from last year, 188 and have it last for more than one day.
I figured 2 lbs, that is doable. So I went back onto MyFitnessPal app and started tracking all my food. It's amazing how much the calories add up when you are snacking here and there. Even though I thought I had been much healthier lately, the calories were still high. It was a bit of a wake up call. I needed to be more mindful of everything I was consuming and how to expel the calories with working out. I started working out with girlfriend once a week which would kick my ass and make me sweat and then as a result I was drinking more water. (Getting fit in summer does help you push more water in than you usually do, LOL) Then I got in contact with my buddy who teaches dance and said I need to start dancing more to shake the pounds off. We decided to meet 2 times a week and now with the workout once a week, that's 3 days of physical activity I wasn't doing before. So that became the new routine for a couple weeks.
All of a sudden I was down to 189 and so excited to see the 180's again. I missed it so much. It's been a YEAR! I realize it was only 1 lb but sometimes having the smallest feat boosts your energy up and gives you more motivation to continue. So continuing with the app for food, working out and drinking more water became my daily focus. The more snacks I was cutting out, the less I was craving them. The more water I was drinking, the more I was craving later and the days that I worked out, I started feeling bummed on "off" days and actually found myself doing little workouts here and there to keep the momentum up.
After a few weeks of making small habits, it becomes the new normal and your new "baseline." From there you slowly increase a new habit or regimen. I noticed in the past when I tried to do too much at once, I eventually caved and fell further behind but now, I am finding myself enjoying myself because I am not being deprived. I am just measuring things out and keeping track. The healthier I was eating, the more I was craving healthier choices like lettuce wrapped, less or no bread, more veggies and less starch, etc.
As the weeks were approaching for my birthday, the scale was finally showing and I hit my goal of 188 and it lasted for 2 days already! I was so excited that I hit my goal and BEFORE my birthday. BUT, now I am motivated even more and wanted to keep going and see what would happen.
I became a little more strict the week leading up to it, I knew realistically I would enjoy sweets or favorite meals for my birthday and I wanted to be able to enjoy them and that was my motivation to be okay cutting out stuff the week prior. It wasn't all or nothing right now, it was temporary. I knew in a week I could enjoy for a day or two and be back at it afterwards so I pushed harder in my workouts, drank even more water than usual and watched every calorie.
By the morning of my birthday I was 184!!
Holy crap I was so excited! Not only did I beat last year, but I continued even further! I am now only 11 lbs away from being at my lowest post surgery weight. 11 lbs! That's so much closer than the 50 lbs away I was at before!
I know I can do this!
I enjoyed my birthday so much this year because I proved to myself that I can adapt and change to what's happening around me and I can chose to rise above and push through than to let it consume me and pull me backwards.
It doesn't matter where you are starting from, as long as you are starting!
It doesn't matter if you had some regain in the last couple months, you can make small changes today.
It's all about changing your mindset and having the belief that you can have the results that you want, alter where you need and be just be consistent. I gave myself a goal with a deadline and that helped me stay focused. Now that the deadline is over, I create a new one. Now I want a piece of the 170's again. I want to hit 179 by the end of September and can't wait to see how I finish off the decade next August! It's all onwards and upwards from here!
Your goal doesn't have to be weight related either. It can be for anything. I have other goals that I am working on as well such as creating a YouTube channel, pushing the book, writing book number 2, potential speaking engagements and helping friends recover their businesses and flourish again. The skies the limit these days!
Whatever your goal is right now, what is the first step for you?
What do you need to get there?
You need a pep talk? Hit me up!
You are not alone and success is not to be envied, it is to be shared.
How can I help you achieve your goals?
